Love From Unexpected Places
by Miss Megs
Summary: Duke 'n' Mal nuff said.


                **Disclaimer:** Don't own the Mighty Ducks just the story. Please enjoy! Reviews appreciated. ;)

"C'mon bro, PLLLEEEEAAASSE? It's right along the way and if we go now I promise I won't skip practice to go later on. It's a no lose proposition!"

            Wildwing chuckled and ruffled Dive's head affectionately, "You've defiantly been around Phil to long."

            "Wildwing, he's nineteen! He should act like it!"

            "Well, if you want me to act my age all I can say is, you first girlie!"

            Mallory made a grab for his throat but Duke caught her around the waist and held tight. He brought his beak to her ear and murmured, "Easy beautiful, yeh'll only prove his point." After mulling his words over for a tenth of a second, she shrugged him off and stomped into the Migrator. Shaking his head with a rueful smile, he called over his shoulder. "You're gonna get it one of these days, kid."

            Nosedive gave a wolfish grin, "If so, you'll be next, just as soon as she finds out who's been teaching me how to pick locks." The ex-thief motioned for him to shut his beak or he'd shut it for him. Dive widened is blue eyes, looking as innocent as a torrential down pour. Duke chuckled and headed for his duck cycle but found it was occupied. The absolutely dazzling smile Mallory had plastered on her face said that she'd overheard every detail in the past conversation. She crooked a cute little finger, beckoning him to her. What else could he do? 

            "Run," the tiny voice in his head suggested, but his pride wouldn't be shaken.

"C'mon L'Orange," the red head patted the seat behind her, "You an' I are goin' for a little joy ride."

 "Oh yeah, I'm dead," He thought as climbed on behind her.

The rest of team watched as they sped off into the distance wondering when or if they'd see them alive again.

"What??" Duke couldn't believe what was coming out of Mallory's mouth and took off his helmet to ensure he wasn't crazy. They'd gone about twelve miles out of town to end up on the side of a deserted back road with Mal leaning against the parked cycle.

"I want you to teach me what you've been teaching Dive. And you're lucky that, that's all I'm asking for! I could make you _pay_ for everything he's damaged thanks to your encouragement. But instead all I'm asking you to do is even the odds."

"And you don't want me to tell him that you're my latest student."

"Correct."

"What if I refuse and say that you're too old to learn the delicate art of thievery?"

"I'm not too old and you know it."

"Alright, what if I just point blank refuse?"

Mallory grabbed him by the arm and tossed him over her hip. Kneeling down, she brought her face close to his. "I've been following you around L'Orange…"

"You still don't trust me." 

"I wouldn't trust you with a ball point pen."

He got himself to his feet in the time it took her to answer and in one fluid movement had her on her tail feathers.

"Let me tell you somethin' little girl, you couldn't even begin to catch up to Nosedive in skill. You're to stiff. Protocol dictates everything you do. You can't even eat breakfast without it. Every morning you get up put on a pot of coffee, down your toast, walk to the fridge take out the orange juice then the milk, and then the butter. By that time the toast is up, you butter it, and then you get your mug for the coffee and a glass for juice. You sit down in the same chair, the one closest to the rec room, eat, get up, wash out your dishes, put 'em in the dish washer and I believe your most favorite, is to dump out the nearly full coffee pot so that when I come in, I have to make up a new one. That sound about right to you?" She said nothing so he continued. "Part of being a thief is being an actor the other part is being unpredictable. You gotta be able roll with the punches. And you can't do that." 

Mallory stood without a word seemingly deep in thought and walked across the street to stare at field of grass waving in the wind. Duke hesitated then followed. She spun around.

"Kiss me."

"What!"

"You've got cloth ears today Duke, I said kiss me." Rolling her eyes since he just stood there and blinked, she grabbed his collar, pulled him close, and eased her lips over his. After a moment's confusion of fighting between pleasure and shock, he pushed away from her breathless.

"What's the matter, didn't like it?" He didn't know how to answer. To him it wasn't a matter of liking, cause if that was the case, he liked _very _much but it was the motive behind it that made him wary. Mallory sighed. "C'mon let's go."

"No, I don' think so. Not until you tell me what the heck that was all about."

"I thought I was being obvious."

"Well, do me a favor, be less obvious through actions and more so through words!"

"I'm lonely."

Duke was flabbergasted. "That's it?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Mal, you," he paused, "We're not…" He tried again. "We go out of our way to avoid each other on bad days and to tick each other off on good days and you basically shove yer tongue down my throat because yer _lonely_?"

She sighed, "You really are an idiot."

"Well, then enlighten me, because right now I really don't know what to think."

"Wildwing has Nosedive, Grin has his meditation, Tanya her inventions, you seem to be content with what life deals you, and Nosedive has basically burrowed a place into all of our hearts, much as I hate to admit it, but he has Wildwing, Grin, you and then there's always those guys that he hangs with at Captain Comics."

"Thrash and Mookie," he supplied absently.

She nodded, " And I don't have anybody." Annoyed with herself she swept the subject away with a wave of her hand. "What do you know about me, Duke, other than I'm a military brat and have an ice cube for a heart?"

He looked up startled, "Mal, no one said…"

"They don't have to."

"Well, I beginin' ta see someone who doesn't know who she is and I think she's scared."

"I hate it."

"You're gonna hafta be a little more specific than that."

"Being afraid, I hate it." Her voice was thick and forced, her body facing away from him. "You know, the only reason I argue with you is because it fills the gaps between Nosedives pranks. It gives me something to do other than think about what I don't want to. Like will we ever get home? And if we do, what then, we've been away for three going on four years, how in the world are we going to fit back into society? _You_ especially. And then what if we can't get home? Once Dragonus is defeated what'll we do? Play professional hockey for the rest of our lives? Travel the world? And I may not seem the type but as soon as my active service was up on Puckworld, I was hoping to find someone… maybe even have a kid or two…"

The silence was broken by Duke's footsteps as he approached this woman who'd just shared her fears and some of her hopes with him. Over all she'd given him a piece of her trust. Gently he laid a hand on her shoulder waiting for her to make the next move. She turned and gave him a watery smile.

"You must think I'm awfully weak, right now."

"Nah, just the opposite." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head.

"Do I look like a leaning post to you, L'Orange?"

"Yep, an' yer just my size, McMallard."  

She chuckled and turned so that she could wrap her arms around his waist and rest her head against his chest. "Why can't every day be like this?"

"Because, it wouldn't mean as much." 

"Oh shut up and kiss me you smart-a…"

He complied before she could finish and afterwards asked, "How would you like to get even with Nosedive for turning yer feathers green yesterday?"

She gave him a sly smile,"What did you have in mind?"

Author's note: If I were to pair up the ducks Mallory and Duke would have to be my most fav, then Dive and Mal, and then Wing and Mal. The reason being is that Wing and Mal's personalities are too much the same. Throwing Duke or Dive into the relationship adds some spice! Hey, BlueMoonDutchess whatcha think? Oh by the bye, Europe was wonderful I'll e-mail you with details later!


End file.
